


it's friday, I'm in love

by catching_paper_moons



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Boarding School AU, M/M, Pining, theyre dumb and in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 18:34:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10393503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catching_paper_moons/pseuds/catching_paper_moons
Summary: It's a Thursday when Mitch realizes he's in love with Dylan. Which is rather inconvenient.





	

It’s a Thursday when Mitch Marner realizes he loves Dylan Strome.

 

Specifically, it’s a Thursday at 9:23 am in AP Calculus when he looks at Dylan, whose tongue is sticking out and he’s writing furiously, and Mitch realizes he’s in love. Which is rather inconvenient, when he thinks about it. He and Dylan have only really been friends for like, a year. He can’t be in LOVE.

 

He says as much to Auston, who laughs and laughs and laughs. Mitch doesn’t find it super funny. “This isn’t a joke,” Mitch says, petulant. His bottom lip is sticking out in a pout, and Auston just laughs harder. “Auston, come onnnnn.” 

 

“It’s fucking hilarious,” Auston says, once he’s caught his breath. “Dylan Strome? Resident computer science tech nerd Dylan Strome is where you’ve laid your affections? It’s fucking hilarious.” 

 

“Hey now, don’t let Willy catch you saying that shit,” Mitch says. “Besides, Dylan’s a nice guy.” Auston just raises an eyebrow. It’s not like Dylan’s not a nice guy. It’s just that he’s kind of got a chip on his shoulder after he didn’t make the soccer team freshman year. He turned all his affections to math and computer science and has been amazing since. He’s kind of a dick to anyone he’s not friends with, just because he doesn’t care to get to know them. Mitch learned that the hard way, but Mitch is persistent, if nothing else. So they’re friends now. Sort of. And, well.

 

“And you’re in love with him,” Auston says. Mitch rolls his eyes. “And I don’t mean that shit about Willy. I like Willy. He’s my best friend.” 

 

“Well that’s good,” Willy says, sliding on the bench right next to Mitch. “Otherwise there might be a roommate issue for school next year. What’s this about love?” Mitch opens his mouth to answer him, but Auston beats him to the punch.

 

“I’m in love with you,” Auston deadpans. “When are you gonna kiss me?” He makes a kissy face at Willy who pushes his face away, laughing. “Actually though, Mitch is in love with Dylan Strome. Isn’t that just amazing?”

 

“Aw, I like Dylan, he’s a good guy,” Willy says, making a face at Auston, who just narrows his eyes at Willy. Mitch knows Willy means it. Willy’s been Mitch’s friend since 7th grade, but he’s been Dylan’s friend longer. They grew up together at summer camp, and Mitch knows that they were fast friends. Dylan’s not best friends with Willy by any means, but they’re certainly good friends, and Mitch knows that Willy thinks this is actually good for him. 

 

“Willy, I...I can’t be in LOVE with him,” Mitch says. “You have to understand. I’m going to college next year.” 

 

“So is Dylan?” Willy says, a question in his words. “What’s the point?”

 

“It’s senior year! I can’t just find love NOW!” Mitch yells, unfortunately, right in Dylan Strome’s face. He turns bright red, but Dylan is just amused.

 

“I’m glad to know you can’t find love,” Dylan says, clearly not having heard the rest of the conversation. “Makes me feel good about myself.” He winks at Mitch, who sticks his tongue out at Dylan, who makes a face back. They both laugh, Mitch very awkwardly, as Dylan heads toward the Dean’s office. Mitch wants to disappear into the gross carpet.

 

“Well that’s one way to get a guy’s attention,” Auston says, sipping from his water bottle. Mitch launches himself at Auston and he wrestles him to the ground, both of them laughing as Auston’s water spills everywhere. It’s a good distraction from the embarrassment he’s just caused.

/////////////////////

Mitch has often been called an overly stressed child. It’s not like he tries to be or anything, he just wants things to be perfect. Like his college applications. Early action deadlines are due tomorrow morning at 11, and he’s currently trying to perfect his Common App. He wishes he was fucking done with this because he feels like he’s gonna cry.

 

“Hey, Dylan,” Mitch says, trying for casual. He thinks he ended up at borderline hysterical, but if Dylan can tell, he doesn’t let on. He’s thankful Dylan is who he is and that Dylan’s in the library with him.

 

“What’s up?” Dylan asks, not even looking up from his phone. Mitch envies him for being so chill, so he tries to calm his voice down when he speaks again. 

 

“Uh, so, the Common App,” he says. He has to swallow again and take a deep breath. This takes long enough that he hears Dylan snort.

 

“I’ve heard of it,” Dylan says slowly. He looks up from his phone finally, and Mitch can feel himself shaking. Like literally every part of him. He wills his heartbeat to slow but he can’t get it to stop. Dylan cocks his head to one side. “You okay, dude?”

 

“Can you just--” Mitch pushes his laptop at Dylan a little too forcefully, but Dylan catches it with ease “--read through it? Please? I need to know if this is good enough to send in.” Dylan nods and reads through it. Mitch watches him at first but then gets too antsy. He grabs his phone and takes a walk around the outside of the library, shooting off a quick text to Willy about when he’ll be back and then takes some deep breaths. He grabs tea from the campus coffee house and then heads back in, where Dylan has discarded his phone entirely and seems to be enthralled in Mitch’s application.

 

“Dude, this is like. Completely perfect,” Dylan says. “I’ve read it twice. I only fixed the spelling on the word ‘resuscitation’ in that life guarding paragraph and that was it.” Mitch facepalms. Of course he’d misspell “resuscitation.” He’s thinking of other mistakes he may have missed and his breathing starts to become shallower. “Hey,” Dylan says, voice suddenly much closer. Mitch opens his eyes and Dylan’s got his finger and thumb around Mitch’s wrist, and he’s pulling his arm away from his face. “Don’t do that, don’t overthink this. I know that’s what you’re doing, so.” Dylan takes a deep breath, and that makes Mitch take one, too. “Breathe, Mitch.”

 

So Mitch does.

////////////////////

Mitch is laying on his bed, thinking about when he’s maybe going to find out that he didn’t get into any colleges when the door opens and Willy bursts through. Willy’s huffing and he throws his backpack down and then he’s scrubbing furiously at his glasses with his sweatshirt.

 

“Hello, drama queen,” Mitch says, completely monotone. “Wanna talk about it?” Willy shakes his head and climbs into bed with Mitch. Mitch immediately tugs him closer. “What happened?”

 

“Didn’t get into Berkeley,” Willy mumbles into Mitch’s shoulder. Mitch immediately feels guilty for reacting the way he did, even though Willy didn’t even have his sights set on Berkeley, but Willy continues, “and Kappy did.” 

 

“Ah,” Mitch muses. “That’s a little difficult.” He knows Willy didn’t want to go to Berkeley. Kappy did really want to go to Berkeley. Willy’s not a huge school type of dude, but he applied to all the big ones and some smaller ones as well, but he wants to go to school with Kappy. Kappy is Willy’s boyfriend, and they’ve been together since like freshman year. And Willy just recently got nervous that Kappy was going to break up with him, which is why he suddenly really wanted to go to Berkeley.

 

“I don’t even actually wanna go to Berkeley,” Willy says. Mitch hums agreement and rubs his back. “Kappy does, though. It’s a great school that has the program he wants to go into. It’s not even the best school for what I want to do!” Willy rolls onto his back, squishing Mitch’s arm. Mitch makes a small noise of protest, but Willy doesn’t notice. “I don’t even know why I’m upset.”

 

“Well, any type of rejection hurts,” Mitch says, trying not to think about all the rejection letters still yet to come for him. “But this one’s extra weird, because Kappy might accept there. And if you get in to Brown, then you’re gonna be on opposite sides of the country. And that’s definitely weird. Also you’re lying directly on my arm.” 

 

Willy frowns at him, but doesn’t move his body. “I guess I just. I feel like if we’re gonna be that far apart then we’re gonna have to break up. And I don’t wanna break up.” Willy’s voice cracks a little on that last sentence, and he rolls back into Mitch’s side, finally freeing Mitch’s arm from it’s misery. Mitch just hugs him close and he definitely doesn’t think about Dylan, doesn’t think about that potential rejection, or that inevitable break up. He definitely does not. 

/////////////// 

Mitch doesn’t know when he gained possession of a fifth of Absolut, but he’s been taking swigs of it at the hockey team party that Auston planned as a bonding activity. The party eventually opens up and all the girls come in, and Mitch is straight up not interested. Some of the baseball boys show up though, and now Mitch is definitely interested. He sees one he sort of recognizes as Alex DeBrincat, the tiny pitcher making headlines, talking with Auston and he just sort of nods and walks toward the kitchen. A boy asks him for his number, and Mitch feels his phone buzz. He whips it out and it’s a text from Dylan, asking him to come over when he can.

 

“Can I have your number?” the boy asks again, and Mitch is squinting at his phone.

 

“Sorry, I don’t have my phone, I have to go,” Mitch says, and he sets down the fifth and leaves the party. He gets a text from Auston that says  _ Where’d u go??? Alex Debrincat is here and hes sO CutE LHLEP  _ and another text from Dylan that says  _ nvm, dw about it _ . So he calls Dylan.

 

“Hello?” Dylan says into the phone. His voice sounds thick, like he’s been crying.

 

“Dylan?” Mitch says. He’s trying to sound like he’s not slurring his words. “What’s going on?” 

 

“Nothing,” Dylan says. “Um, I know you’re at the hockey team bonding thing, so I’m not sure why I texted you anyway, I’m sorry,” he continues. Mitch’s mouth contorts as Dylan says something about not wanting him to worry.

 

“I left,” Mitch blurts out. It’s silent for a bit. “The party,” he clarifies. “I left the party. Are you in your room?” His phone pings, it’s another text from Auston,  _ MITCH PLS HE JUST MADE OUT WITH THIS GIRL I THINK I’M IN LOVE WITH A STRAIGHT DUDE!!!!1!!!1! _

 

Dylan sighs. “Yeah, I am.” He doesn’t say anything else, though, so it’s silent as Mitch starts walking. “Are you coming here?” he asks, after what seems like forever.

 

“I’m actually outside your door,” Mitch says, and the door swings open, revealing a very red and puffy faced Dylan Strome. Mitch hangs up and says “Oh, Dyl,” and pulls him into a hug.

 

“You smell like vodka and cheap beer,” Dylan says, laughing a little. Mitch just hugs him tighter, and then lets Dylan lead him in. Dylan sits on his bed and then pats a space for Mitch to sit. Mitch tries and fails twice before finally making it up, and it makes Dylan laugh. Mitch beams at him and lays his head on Dylan’s shoulder. 

 

“What’s up?” Mitch asks, entwining their hands. Dylan squeezes it and takes a deep breath. He doesn’t say anything, though, so it must be something upsetting. Mitch breathes in, out. “You don’t have to say if you don’t want to.”

 

“No, it’s fine, it’s just.” Dylan takes a shaky breath, then lets it out with a soft sob. “Um, we have to put my dog down, and I can’t go home, and so I’m gonna facetime her, I guess, like tomorrow morning, but. Um. I’m really fucking upset.” 

 

Mitch, feeling brave, leans up and kisses his cheek. He squeezes Dylan’s hand and says, “I’m so sorry, Dyl. I wish you could go home. Facetime doesn’t compare.” Mitch thinks about his own dog and how much that would suck if he couldn’t go home for him. That makes him want to cry.

 

Dylan laughs and then sobs a little, and Mitch squeezes his hand again. Dylan says, “No, it doesn’t.” He flops down on his bed and he looks at Mitch through half lidded eyes. Mitch knows he’s kinda drunk but he’d honestly do anything for Dylan, especially when he’s looking at him like that. He almost says that, but Dylan asks him if he’ll stay before he can open his mouth, and Mitch says of course. So he roots through Dylan’s pajama drawer for something comfy and curls up next to Dylan and tries to stop Dylan from crying himself to sleep. 

 

When he tells Auston about this in the morning, Auston will say he can’t believe how whipped he is, but Mitch is just really in love. What does Auston even know about love?

//////////////////////

Sometimes, Mitch walks into his dorm and Willy’s boyfriend, Kappy, is shirtless on Willy’s bed, looking like they just had really great sex. Kappy, who plays lacrosse, is objectively really, really hot, but he’s definitely not Mitch’s type. Obviously.

 

So things get super awkward when Mitch is just trying to grab some books with Dylan when Kappy’s definitely super naked on Willy’s bed. “JESUS, KASPERI, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD,” Mitch screams, slamming the door shut. 

 

“Uh,” Dylan says, very dumbly.

 

“Well, that’s my roommate’s boyfriend, Kappy,” Mitch mutters. “I’m sorry.” Dylan’s looking dazed, sort of like he just saw a Greek god. Mitch doesn’t really blame him. Kappy kind of looks like a Greek god.

 

“Sorry!” Kappy yells from inside the room. “I have boxers on now.”

 

“And a shirt!” Mitch yells back. It’s silent for a moment, but he hears the rustling of a shirt being put on, so he thinks it’s safe. He opens the door and Kappy is leaning on the bed, semi clothed now. “This is Dylan, by the way. I feel like you should be introduced since he’s seen so much of you.”

 

Kappy at least has the decency to look sheepish, yet he somehow looks smug. “Dylan, hey, we had Psych together last year. I think.” Mitch gives Kappy a look, because Kappy certainly was not in Psych last year, and Kappy just raises an eyebrow.

 

Dylan nods, slowly, not actually responding. “Uh, yeah, um. Hi,” he says, still clearly dazed. Mitch snorts and grabs his books. Kappy starts to say something but Mitch cuts him off, not wanting him to say anything stupid.

 

“Would love to stay and chat but we have lots of studying to do, goodbye, Kappy,” he says quickly, not listening to Kappy’s objections, shutting the door and pulling Dylan along. They get out of the building and Dylan is still dazed. “You good?”

 

“Does Kappy know he looks like that?” is the only thing Dylan can say, which makes Mitch burst into laughter. Dylan’s mouth crooks into a smile and he says, “No, seriously, like, dude is hung and his abs are unreal. He’s gotta know.” 

 

“Trust me, he knows,” Mitch says as they head toward the coffee shop. “Honestly? William is worse. And by worse I mean they’re at the same fitness level. So I have that happening in my room. Like weekly.” 

 

“Jesus, sounds like a wet dream, honestly,” Dylan says, only half-joking, which makes Mitch laugh loudly again. Dylan smiles at him, eyes all crinkly. “I love when you laugh like that. It’s so pure.”

 

That makes Mitch giggle kind of awkwardly, and also turn pink. “Thanks, Dyl,” he says, staring into his tea mug. Dylan just smiles at him and Mitch doesn’t think his life could be any weirder, but he’s glad Dylan’s along for the weird ride, at least. “Thanks for not being weird about Kappy.”

 

“Nah, it’s fine, man,” Dylan says, taking a sip of his coffee. “Dude’s not really my type anyway. Like, definitely hot, but so not my type.”

 

“What is, then?” Mitch asks, going for casual but ending up at decidedly NOT casual. He looks up at Dylan who’s kind of looking right at him. Mitch laughs a little. “What?”

 

Dylan shakes his head. “Uh, nothing. I don’t really know my type, I guess. Someone I can be myself with, though, that’s important. Like my ex.” He’s looking down into his coffee, so Mitch doesn’t press. Mitch opens his Calc book to distract himself.  “I mean I...it’s nothing.”

 

Mitch looks at him, considering. “What?” he asks, and Dylan shakes his head. “Okay. I don’t mean to press. Let’s just. Talk about something else?” And Mitch can do that easily, so he just blabbers on about something while staring at the limits in his calc book and wishing he hadn’t said anything.

///////////////////

After the hockey game on Saturday, Auston plans yet another party for the team. Mitch decides to not drink this time, after his unfortunate run-in with a fruit punch mixed drink last weekend. Some of the baseball boys walk in early, which piques his interest, and Alex DeBrincat makes a beeline for Auston. Which  _ definitely  _ piques his interest.

 

“How are you?” Auston’s giddily asking Alex as Mitch slides up to the conversation. Auston turns and looks at him, now, expression deflating a bit. “Oh, hey, Mitch.” Alex looks at Mitch, considering something. Mitch tries to will it into Alex’s brain that he’s not into Auston like that, because he thinks that’s what Alex is wondering. Alex nods to himself as Auston belatedly and drunkenly realizes they haven’t actually met. “Oh! Alex this is Mitch, Mitch this is Alex. I think you guys should be friends. Alex, I’ll go get you a drink. Do you want one?” he asks, directing that last question at Mitch. Mitch laughs, and shakes his head.

 

“Nah, thanks, though,” he says, pushing Auston toward the kitchen. Auston turns around and beams at them, and Mitch shakes his head, and turns to look at Alex, who looks kinda lovestruck. Mitch raises an eyebrow. “Auston’s a good dude,” he says, measured.

 

“Yeah,” Alex says dreamily.

 

Mitch rolls his eyes. “Like, you shouldn’t be trying to make him jealous, if that’s what’s been happening,” Mitch says. Alex looks kind of affronted, but Mitch just gives him a look. “If you’re into him, just go for it. Auston doesn’t waste his time on people, so.” Mitch shrugs, and Alex’s mouth makes an ‘o’ shape, like he’s getting it. “Yeah. Just, maybe don’t kiss another girl this time. He’s been texting me asking if I know if you’re straight like every day, so.”

 

Alex looks sheepish. “I don’t know how to flirt,” he says, almost conspiratorially. “I’m super into him so I just get really, uh. Awkward?” Alex is rubbing the back of his neck and his face is flushed red, but Mitch can’t tell if that’s embarrassment or the alcohol he’s definitely already consumed. “Got any tips?”

 

Mitch laughs. And laughs and laughs and laughs and Alex is so confused and Auston comes back with Alex’s drink, and he gives Mitch a weird look, and Mitch just looks at the two of them, tears kind of streaming down his face from laughing so hard, because they’re both so oblivious. He walks away, waving at the two of them, and he turns around and watches Alex just kinda grab Auston’s face and kiss him. Auston pulls back and is so happy, and Mitch just. He’s happy Auston’s happy. 

 

He’s sitting on a countertop, looking at his phone when he feels two hands on his thighs. He looks up, getting ready to tell them to fuck off when he sees Dylan. 

 

“Mitch!!!!” Dylan yells in his face. Mitch’s eyes widen. He can smell alcohol on Dylan’s breath. He knew Dylan drank but he didn’t know that Dylan like,  _ drank _ . And went to parties while drinking. “Hi, hi, hi, Mitch, hi.”

 

“Hey, Dyl,” Mitch says, very amused. Dylan beams at him and lays his head on Mitch’s left thigh. “What are you up to? I didn’t think I’d see you here.” 

 

Dylan frowns at Mitch’s hipbone. “Do you not want me here?” His voice sounds shaky, like he’s nervous. Mitch is a little confused.

 

He shakes his head and runs his fingers through Dylan’s hair. “No, I’m super glad you’re here!” he says, and that makes Dylan smile again. “I just didn’t know you were coming.” He catches Auston’s eye from across the room, and Auston points at his neck, showing off a hickey. Mitch flashes him a thumbs up, then smooths Dylan’s hair back. “Are you doing alright?”

 

“I’m reaallllyyyy drunk,” Dylan mumbles into Mitch’s thigh. “Like a lot. I had a lot of rum.” Mitch frowns, and keeps petting Dylan’s hair. “It was so much. My friennd from lab had some and gave me as a gift. I din’t know people gaaie giffs like rum in h’ssschool.”

 

“How much did you have?” Mitch asks, careful to keep his voice measured. He doesn’t think Dylan’s going to die or anything, but he’s certainly slurring his words to the point that he’s barely understandable, which means he’s probably going to throw up tonight. “Do you remember?”

 

“I remember finding you!” Dylan says, a bit more articulate now, even though that’s not what Mitch asked. “And thennn I was super happy.” He hugs Mitch’s hips and Mitch is very, very fond. He should probably take Dylan home. This is corroborated almost immediately when Dylan looks up at him and says, “I’m probably gonna vomit soon.”

 

“Okay,” Mitch says easily, removing himself from Dylan’s tight grasp and hopping off the counter top. Dylan leans into him, a lot, and Mitch is lucky he’s as strong as he is or they both would have fallen over. “Let’s get you home, yeah?” Dylan nods and Mitch leads him toward the door. He tells Alex he’s leaving, because he can’t find Auston anywhere, and pulls Dylan out the door. 

 

They get a little bit from the off campus house when Dylan stops suddenly and vomits all over the grass. “Oops,” he says afterwards, and then vomits again. Mitch winces, rubbing his back. Once Dylan’s stomach seems to have calmed down, he starts to cry. “I’m s-s-sorry,” he says into Mitch’s shoulder.

 

“It’s okay, Dyl,” Mitch says, rubbing his back. “We’ve all had nights like this. Honestly. This was literally me last weekend, remember? You found me in the bathroom. Shit happens.” Dylan just kind of keeps crying against Mitch’s shoulder, and Mitch shushes him, saying “it’s okay,” over and over.

 

“I’m just embarrassing myself,” Dylan says, finally, sobs subsided a bit. “I’m upset.”

 

Mitch looks around, then back at Dylan. “It’s just me, here, Dyl,” he says. “Just me. It’s not embarrassing if it’s me, is it?” He smooths Dylan’s hair down and Dylan shakes his head.

 

“But it’s you!” Dylan cries. “You’re perfect, so perfect, that’s why it’s embarrassing,” he continues. Mitch makes a face and just rubs Dylan’s back again. Dylan lays his head on Mitch’s shoulder. “Mitch, I….” he trails off and leans away to throw up again, and Mitch grimaces.

 

“Come on, Dyl, we should really get you to your room, okay?” He pulls Dylan to his feet and they get to Dylan’s room with only one stop to puke. “Do you need like, um, medical attention?” Mitch asks as Dylan climbs in bed. Dylan is super closed off now. Mitch thinks maybe some of the alcohol has worn off.

 

“Nah,” Dylan says. His voice is kind of cold and he sounds upset still, but Mitch doesn’t know how to help. “My stomach is fine now.” He turns over and throws the covers over his head. 

 

“Okay, uh, sweet dreams, Dyl,” he says, closing the door quietly. He waits a good 5 minutes, then comes back with water and digs around through Dylan’s stuff for some pills in the morning. He knows Dylan will have a monster hangover. Then he grabs a blanket from under Dylan’s bed and settles himself in Dylan’s bubble chair and falls asleep. He wakes up to Dylan shaking him.

 

“Dude, what the fuck?” Dylan asks. Mitch looks around. He doesn’t see Dylan’s roommate in his bed, but Dylan looks kinda pissed. 

 

“Uh? Hi? Good morning?” He looks at Dylan’s side table. He’s downed the water and the pills. He looks back up. Dylan’s just kind of staring at him. “I can leave?”

 

“That’d be best,” Dylan says. He shoos Mitch out the door and Mitch watches it close in his face. He thinks maybe Dylan just doesn’t feel good, wants to be alone for right now. 

 

He walks back to his room and Willy and Kappy are asleep in Willy’s bed, pressed together. He stares at them for a while, as they sleep. His heart aches. He wants the kind of love that they have; they’re so obviously supportive and genuinely in love. But the only person he wants that with just kicked him out of his room, and Mitch can’t really see Dylan loving him anyway, so he climbs into his own bed and cries until he falls back asleep.

///////////////////////

Mitch gets his first rejection email in Calculus from Stanford. He didn’t even want to go to Stanford, but it makes tears spring to his eyes in the middle of figuring out some derivative in class. He asks the teacher if he can leave and he hightails it out of the room, sits in the hallway and just kind of cries. Logically, he knows there’s gonna be rejections. He knows that. Stanford was a huge reach for him anyway. But he also hasn’t talked to Dylan in like a week, and he knows that Dylan loved Stanford - it’s half the reason he applied. Or all of the reason. 

 

He wills himself to calm down but he’s working himself into a panic attack, as he often does. The classroom door opens and Dylan comes out of it, and sees him on the ground. “Mitch, hey,” he says softly. He sits next to him, and puts a hand on his knee. “What’s up?”

 

“Oh, you care now?” Mitch says in between breaths. He knows that was mean but he doesn’t really feel bad considering Dylan hasn’t replied to his texts in a week. Dylan winces, but keeps his hand there. “Got rejected from Stanford.”

 

Dylan frowns. “I’m sorry, Mitch, I’m so sorry.” It doesn’t sound like he’s just apologizing for the rejection. He pulls Mitch into a hug. “I know rejection hurts. Any form of it.” That makes Mitch cry harder and his breaths become shallower and Dylan pulls back and he grabs Mitch’s hands and puts them on his chest.

 

“I-I-I…” Mitch tries to say, but nothing will come out. Dylan shakes his head.

 

“It’s okay. Do you feel that? My heartbeat? You’re here, with me, in the hallway, at school. And we’re okay. You’re okay, you’re gonna be just fine,” Dylan says, taking slow breaths. Mitch is trying to follow suit, but he looks at Dylan, and the furrow between his brow and he listens to his voice and he wants to throw up he loves Dylan so much. Mitch doesn’t even know how he ended up here.

 

“Dylan I can’t breathe,” he says, instead of saying I love you. 

  
“I know, sweetheart,” Dylan says, and that’s new. Mitch barely registers it. “I know. Just feel my heartbeat, breathe with me, okay? Just breathe with me.” Dylan looks him in the eye and says, “Breathe, Mitch.”

 

So Mitch does.

///////////////////

Mitch doesn’t talk to Dylan again until after most of everyone’s acceptances come in. They talk in class, sort of, but not the way they used to, and Mitch really misses it. But.

 

Willy does get into Brown. Mitch hugs him so tight, telling him how proud he is of him. Willy asks about his acceptance, which Mitch got, but Mitch says this is about him. They go to find Auston in the library, and Alex is sitting with him, and they all hug and yell about how proud they are. People start shushing them.

 

“Oops,” Alex says, clearly not feeling bad. Auston laughs, and Mitch suggests they get smoothies. They meet Kappy outside of the smoothie shop, and Kappy’s face lights up.

 

“I’m so proud of you,” Kappy says, running up to Willy, kissing him soundly. Willy kisses him back, and he pulls back, smiling so wide. Mitch thinks about how happy they look. His heart aches again.

 

“Guys, I’m going to go to college!” Willy says, and everyone celebrates. Mitch smiles, watching them, and walks away slightly, feeling a little too down to participate in the moment.. As he watches, he feels a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Hey,” Dylan says, soft and warm. He smiles at Mitch, and turns to Willy to call out, “Congrats!” Willy smiles and waves back. Dylan turns back to Mitch. “Can we talk?” Mitch nods and Dylan pulls him away from the crowd. 

 

Mitch looks at Dylan as he shifts back and forth. “Dylan?” he presses, looking at Dylan’s face. Dylan looks scared. Mitch steps closer. Dylan takes a deep breath. “Dyl, hey, just talk to me,” Mitch says, grabbing Dylan’s hand.

 

“Mitch, I...” Dylan trails off, then takes another deep breath. Mitch nods encouragingly, prompting him to go on. “I’m in love with you. Um. If that wasn’t obvious.” He laughs. “And I’ve been a dick because I thought I couldn’t have you. But I thought I needed you to know. I definitely needed you to know. Um.” He’s rubbing his neck and his face is bright red. 

 

“I’m such a fucking idiot,” Mitch mutters and Dylan looks confused. Mitch just shakes his head and grabs Dylan’s face and kisses him. Mitch is kissing him and kissing him and kissing him and he’s so happy. “Why are we such fucking idiots?” he asks, laughing. Dylan laughs harder and kisses him again. “God, I’ve loved you for so long. Jesus, we could have been doing this forever,” Mitch says against Dylan’s lips. He kisses Dylan again, just for good measure.

 

“To be fair, I didn’t figure it out until you were the first person I wanted to call about everything, and then feelings. And I’m not good at those,” Dylan says. He smooths Mitch’s hair back from his face and looks at him. “But I love you, so.”

 

Mitch just shakes his head and kisses Dylan one more time. “Come on, get a smoothie with me to celebrate college. We’ve all just gotten acceptance letters.” Dylan shrugs and Mitch pulls him inside, and the boys greet him enthusiastically, and Mitch is so, so happy. 

 

He guesses maybe he can get love after all. 

/////////////////

Mitch sits atop Dylan’s desk the first day after second semester starts, wearing a too-large Stanford sweatshirt. Dylan frowns up at him and narrows his eyes. “I distinctly remember you not getting into Stanford, so, what gives, babe?” 

 

Mitch grins. “I stole this from you when I left this morning because I was cold,” he says, innocently. “You can wear my Brown sweatshirt if you want.” Dylan throws his head back in laughter, which makes Mitch pout. “What?”

 

“That’s hilarious,” Dylan says. “It wouldn’t even begin to fit me. But thanks for the offer.” He leans up and kisses Mitch and Mitch turns pink and slides off the desk.

 

“Gross,” Auston says as he pushes his way past both of them. He stops, considers Mitch for a moment, and just shakes his head, continuing on his way, which makes Mitch laugh as the bell starts to ring. Dylan winks at him and the teacher walks in and turns on the projector and begins speaking.

  
It was a Thursday when Mitch realized he was in love, and it’s a Friday when he realizes that maybe that’ll be okay. 


End file.
